Fallen Stars
by AlbusSeverusGryffindor
Summary: A new Tenkai star rises. A new Gathering Commences after a tragic incident. A new hope for a belingered land.


_**Fallen Stars**_

_By A.S. Gryffindor_

**Author's Note: **Hello all. Here's the start of a new story. I'm an old fan of the Suikoden game series but this is my first fanfic here. Hope you enjoy it. This prologue is rather short but the rest of the chapters will be much longer.

_**Prologue: Battle Lost**_

Leknaat, Keeper of Balance and former Seer to the Scarlet Moon Empire, watched the coming conflagration with a frown. This simply could not be. She who had kept watch over the 108 Stars of Destiny and their leader who was born under the Tenkai Star. _Please don't let this happen._ She who had watched over those fated to be the bearers of one of the 27 true runes. _How can the fates be so cruel?_She who was herself a keeper of one such rune herself was powerless to stop what she saw from happening. The conflagration was going to consume them all and soon. _Unless he can stop it._

She watched in horror as the defenses of the Castle of Stars was breached not through battle but by stealth and betrayal. She heard the battle cries of each of the 108 as they shielded their leader from those who sought his demise, attempting to give him and his small entourage of protectors time to flee the castle. She saw the Horde overrun the headquarters of the Moon Spirit Army in less time than it took to boil tea water. Her face paled as they slaughtered all within the castle whether that were combatants or civilians. She heard their shrieks of defiance, pain and fear as they fought and died to give their lord time to flee and she knew they were giving their lives willingly to save his. Tears trailed down her face and she stood within her scyrring room transfixed by their bravery.

The ground beneath her began to tremble as the sky above became awash with the light of 104 falling stars. There was an echoing scream of sorrow from the throat of the Tenkai Star as he saw his brothers and friends fall all around him. A flare of incandesant light blinded her Sight for a moment and then all was silence and darkness. The stone tablet that rested on her wall grew dark as one by one names winked out of existence until only five remained: the Tenkai Star and four of his companions.

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Kai's first sensation on regaining consciousness was burning pain that seemed to radiate from the center of his left hand, up his arm and into his brain. The Rune on his left hand, known variously as the Ancient's Rune, the Rune of Ages and sometimes even the Sindar Rune pulsed softly and memories from the True Rune assaulted his already battered mind.

_"Not now, " _he thought fiercely at the Rune and the memories subsided.

The next sensation that assaulted his senses was the heavy smokey stench in the air around him. His gray eyes snapped open and he sat up so quickly that he barely registered the pain the movement caused him. His three companions all started at his sudden movement and Marika moved to stop him from moving any farther.

"Sir Kai, you'll reopen your wound," her soft voice did not penetrate Kai's mind.

The Castle of Stars was in flames below him and there were shadows moving around it.

"No...By the True Runes...No...," Kai's eyes roamed over the flaming castle a moment before he took the small stone Tablet of Promise that Leknaat had gifted him with when he'd first establish his army's headquarters from the pouch he carried it in. Five names glowed with a soft silver radiance: Marika-his childhood friend, Selena- an elven mage of medium power, Edge- a swordsman and veteran of the Second Fire Bringer War twenty years before, Landros- an archer whose whereabouts were currently unknown and his own. The rest of the names, all 104 of them, were dark signifying that the others were all dead.

"It's not your fault, young one," Edge's deep gravally voice said softly seeming to know what Kai was thinking. The Zodiac Sword on his back snorted and Edge quieted it.

"Yes it is. Most of you died today because of me, because of this cursed Rune," Kai waved his left hand under Edge's nose for emphasis. The Ancient's Rune flared a dim red for a moment. "Defending and protecting me because of this damned thing!"

Marika's concerned face hoved into view and she stared into Kai's eyes for a moment. "It's still not your fault. You never forced any of us to follow you. We all chose to do so of our own free will."

"They shouldn't have died. I should have protected them better." The image before him became blurred and hot tears ran down his cheeks.

Selena moved toward the group, her footsteps making no sound as she walked over the dried leaves underfoot. The bronze haired elf sat down at Kai's left and took the hand that held the Rune in her's. The Rune stilled and it's glow faded. She looked deeply into Kai's gray eyes with her dark ones. Kai blinked at her for a moment. The seriousness in her eyes made her appear for a moment as her true age of 120 years.

"There are no enemies about but that may not last for long. We should think about moving on." Edge's voice floated to him from what seemed to be a long way away.

Kai shook himself out of the stupor the fire had induced in him and nodded. "There's nothing we can do here now. Where do you suggest we go?"

Selena looked at Edge and Marika who had no advice to give their weary leader before she said, "I have sent a message ahead to my father, Lord Kai. We could stay in my village for a time. The Moon Clan of the elves would be happy to shelter you as we did before."

"We can decide what to do from there, Kai," Edge nodded at the elf and stood, watching the flames consume the castle below him. "My you all find peace and be welcome in the halls of your ancestors."

Kai too watched the fire brilliant glow. "Your deaths shall not have been in vain my friends and the ones that did this shall be brought to justice. I so swear it."

Marika murmured a quick prayer for their soul's safe passage into the Great Beyond and Selena muttered something softly in Elvish, her eyes growing darker in her sorrow. Then the four remaining members of the Moon Spirit Army turned their backs on the burning ruin of their former lives and walked into the forest toward whatever fate had in store for them.


End file.
